Summer of Chaos
by HPDrummerman
Summary: Tarantula, the leader of the feared Lizard Ladies gang, breaks out of the mental institution and has her sights on total destruction of Sparkyville. Charlie Brown, Sally, Michael, Snoopy, and Woodstock spend a few weeks with Frieda at her family's cottage. Another familiar face returns to possibly save both the Serpents and Spiders from the Lizards.
1. Chapter 1

Summer of Chaos

A _PEANUTS: The Next Chapter_ Special

**CHAPTER 1: HIDING OUT**

Tarantula and her friend, Gertie, the daughter of the owner of Sam's Auto Salvage Yard where the Lizards had the confrontation with the Serpent Sisters and Spiders over two years earlier, escape through the sewers. Gertie had studied the maps of the sewer lines and where they led to. Neither girl liked being down there, but if they were going to elude the authorities, that was the route they had to travel.

After a while, the two of them climbed out of one of the openings. They found themselves in a beat up part of town. Trash was everywhere and was dimly lit. Gertie brought Tarantula to an abandoned house that no one would look in. It was boarded up, yet for some reason still supplied electric to it.

"Well, heh we are, chief!" said Gertie in her New York-style accent. "It may not be the Waldorf-Astoria, but it will hafta do for now. I'll get the goils to hook up heh in a few days afta the heat has died down a bit."

"You did good, Gertie," said Tarantula. "Any word on when our secret weapon is getting out?"

"Any day now, chief," Gertie replied. "Stayed on her best behavior. She a cinch to get out of tha clink!"

"Hopefully she's still willing to do some mayhem with us," Tarantula observed. "How have the girls been doing since I've been gone?"

"Oh, they are woiking haad to get back on top. It ain't been easy, though. Afta what happened at my pop's place that night with that goil Python getting bumped off, the heat's been through tha roof! So we had ta do it secret-like, ya know?"

"I get it, kid!"

"Anyhoo, the goils been doin' some trainin' in Monte Woods at night afta everyone went night-night. We go deep into tha woods to train and even use pellet guns instead o' actual ammo so to not give away our location."

"Good…"

"And we alsa been loinin' hand ta hand combat in case we hafta do that! The goils has alsa been takin' up some martial arts, that karate, Mr. Miyagi-type stuff."

"I like where this is goin', so far!"

"And we have scouts lookin' at tha gang scene. Besides your old gang, tha Spidahs, not much has been goin' on with tha gang activity."

"Black Widow is still around, eh?"

"Yep. But no Soipent Sistahs, chief. I think they is done with the gang life. Even their old headquartahs has been taken ovah by a business now. Maybe we drove dem outta the lifestyle."

"Maybe, but let's keep vigilant. Because I may want to finish the job with them. We'll wait on going after the Spiders, for now, but I want to pick up where we left off on the Serpents. With them out of the picture as far as gangs go could work in our favor. Get some of the girls to look for the remaining three, Cobra, Rattler, and especially Mamba. I'll save her for our secret weapon, once she's out and we find out if she's still with us or not. After we deal with the Serpents, THEN we will target the Spiders. And after that the Lizards take over. I tell ya, Gertie, Sparkyville is going to be painted red!"

"You got it, boss! You bettah lay low for a bit for tha heat ta blow off."

"Good idea, Gert." And Gertie fled into the night back to her place. Tarantula got ready to sleep for a while. The next day, they would start to put their plan into action. All of Sparkyville, and Lucy and the Serpents and the Spiders in particular, would be feeling the heat soon.

**NEXT CHAPTER: VACATION AT THE RICH'S PLACE**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: BACK AT THE COTTAGE**

Charlie Brown and Linus were standing at the wall. Charlie was leaving with Frieda, along with Sally, Michael, Snoopy, and Woodstock for Frieda's family cottage for a few weeks. So the two friends wanted to get their own summer plans going.

"So I take it you and Eudora will be getting your summer plans in action, eh?" said Charlie Brown.

"Yep, though I wish we were going with you guys," lamented Linus, "but I have a feeling I will be needed here. I can't explain why, but I feel it."

"I get it, Linus. Well I do hope you and Eudora have some fun while we're away."

"We will. This is going to be an exciting summer, Charlie Brown."

"You can say that again, Linus." And both boys left. Charlie Brown went back home to finish getting ready for his trip.

Later, Charlie Brown and Sally, along with Michael, Snoopy, and Woodstock, were waiting for Frieda and her parents to arrive with the van to take them to the cottage. Sally was glad to be doing something else besides going to camp for the summer, as she always hated camp even more than her brother did.

"So how's Wyatt doing since he's been home?" asked Michael.

"Pretty good, Michael," answered Charlie Brown. "He seems to be getting used to the house now."

"I'm just glad I won't be here when he starts crying," said Sally. "I love my new brother and all, but as we know with babies, they'll cry throughout the night."

"I can vouch for that," added Charlie Brown. "Sally cried 24/7 when she was a baby." Sally stuck her tongue out at her brother. Charlie and Michael chuckled a bit, as did Snoopy and Woodstock. Then the van showed up. Frieda got out to greet her boyfriend and everyone else.

"Hi, everybody," she greeted.

"Hey, Frieda," said Sally.

"Hi, Frieda," said Michael.

"And hello to you too, handsome," cooed Frieda to Charlie Brown, who then kissed her boyfriend, making him smile.

"It's good to see you, Frieda," said Charlie Brown. "And we're all ready to go to the cottage."

"Great, let's get everything all packed up," Frieda announced. "I noticed Snoopy isn't bringing as much luggage this time around."

"You could say I had a 'Come to Jesus' with Snoopy in regards to that," said Charlie Brown. "I told him we'll have barely enough room for everybody else's luggage that he could leave at least half of the stuff home. While he argued that he needed all of his stuff, I assured him it would be fine, as your parents already have some of it there."

"Smart move, sweetie," said Frieda. "Okay, let's get ready to go. Time for some summer fun!"

And the kids and Snoopy and Woodstock got into the van and they were off for the cottage. They all had fun on the way there and enjoyed the trip.

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_Here it is the groove slightly transformed_

_Just a bit of a break from the norm_

_Just a little somethin' to break the monotony_

_Of all that hardcore dance that has gotten to be_

_A little bit out of control it's cool to dance_

_But what about the groove that soothes that moves romance_

_Give me a soft subtle mix_

_And if ain't broke then don't try to fix it_

_And think of the summers of the past_

_Adjust the base and let the alpine blast_

_Pop in my CD and let me run a rhyme_

_And put your car on cruise and lay back 'cause this is summertime_

_Summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_School is out and it's a sort of a buzz_

_A back then I didn't really know what it was_

_But now I see what have of this_

_The way that people respond to summer madness_

_The weather is hot and girls are dressing less_

_And checking out the fellas to tell 'em who's best_

_Riding around in your Jeep or your Benzos_

_Or in your Nissan stting on Lorenzos_

_Back in Philly we be out in the park_

_A place called the plateau is where everybody goes_

_Guys out hunting and girls doing likewise_

_Honking at the honey in front of you with the light eyes_

_She turn around to see what you beeping at_

_It's like the summer's a natural afradesiac_

_And with a pen and pad I compose this rhyme_

_To hit you and get you equipped for the summer time_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_It's late in the day and I ain't been on the court yet_

_Hustle to the mall to get me a short set_

_Yeah I got on sneaks but I need a new pair_

_'Cause basketball courts in the summer got girls there_

_The temperature's about 88_

_Hop in the water plug just for old times' sake_

_Break to ya crib change your clothes once more_

_'Cause you're invited to a barbeque that's starting at 4_

_Sitting with your friends cause y'all reminisce_

_About the days growing up and the first person you kiss_

_And as I think back makes me wonder how_

_The smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia_

_All the kids playing out front_

_Little boys messin' round with the girls playing double-dutch_

_While the DJ's spinning a tune as the old folks dance at your family reunion_

_Then six o'clock rolls around_

_You just finished wiping your car down_

_It's time to cruise so you head to the summertime hangout_

_It looks like a car show_

_Everybody come lookin' real fine_

_Fresh from the barber shop or fly from the beauty salon_

_Every moment frontin' and maxin'_

_Chillin' in the car they spent all day waxin'_

_Leanin' to the side but you can't speed through_

_Two miles an hour so everybody sees you_

_There's an air of love and of happiness_

_And this is the Fresh Prince's new definition of summer madness_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

_Summer summer summertime_

_Time to sit back and unwind_

Once they got to the cottage, Sally and Michael were in awe at the sight of it. Charlie Brown and Snoopy had been there before, so it was no big deal to them. Sally immediately shouted, "This is no cottage! This is a mini-mansion!"

"You like it, Sally?" asked Frieda.

"I love it, Frieda," said a happy Sally. "This beats sleeping in a mosquito-filled cabin at some dirty camp any day of the week."

"Charlie Brown and Michael will share a room together," Frieda announced. "You remember where you slept last time, don't you, babe?"

"I do, Frieda," said Charlie Brown. "I'll show Michael where we'll be."

"Sally, you and I will share my room," Frieda continued.

"What about Snoopy?" asked Sally.

"He's already set up camp," said Charlie Brown. And sure enough, Snoopy had a camp set up for him and Woodstock. They were already making the most of it. And everyone went in to unpack and unwind before lunch.

**NEXT CHAPTER: PUTTING THE PLAN IN ACTION**

"**Summertime" **written by Craig Simpkins, Hula Mahone, Willard Smith, Claydes Smith, Robert Bell, Dennis Thomas, Ronald Bell, Richard Westfield, George Brown, Robert Mickens, Alton Taylor

© EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: LIZARD LADIES REVISITED**

The next day, Gertie brought the Lizard Ladies to the abandoned house where Tarantula was laying low. They all came sporadically due to Tarantula being in hiding and not bringing attention to the house she was hiding in. Though, to be fair, hardly any resident was living in this area. Aside from some poor folks that couldn't leave, no living person was living in that neighborhood.

As the Lizard Ladies gathered where Tarantula was sitting, Gertie said to her, "Heh are all the ladies, chief. We is ready to heh what ya hafta say."

"Lizards," Tarantula began, "first of all I heard about how hard you've been working. I am proud of you girls and I implore you to keep up the good work. Because this summer, we're going to be pretty busy wreaking havoc! First, I need three girls to seek out the members of the Serpent Sisters, Cobra the leader, Rattler the small one, and Mamba the crabby one. If you locate their homes, DON'T do anything yet until I say so. Just keep an eye on them. If they find out I've escaped, that's okay. I WANT them to know. I want them to sweat, wonder what I'm going to do next.

"When the time comes, we will finish what we started in Gertie's fathers salvage yard, but here in this cesspool of what used to be a neighborhood. I heard that Gertie has found someone that has held our weapons so that the cops wouldn't find them. We will reach out to this good Samaritan, pay them handsomely, of course, and grab out weapons of mass chaos! Because before we go after the Serpents, we will destroy EVERYTHING that they hold near and dear to them! We will kidnap any family that they may have that we can grab, outside of older siblings or parents. Then after we destroy the Serpents, we go after my old gang, The Spiders, and do the same thing! This summer in Sparkyville will be a SUMMER OF CHAOS!" And all of the girls cheered. They were ready to do Tarantula's bidding.

"I need three volunteers to scout those three Serpents," Tarantula announced. Three girls stepped forward.

"State ya names fer da boss," commanded Gertie.

"They call me Gecko," said a girl who sported a platinum blonde mohawk.

"I'm Iguana," announced the second girl, who had no hair and a patch over one of her eyes.

"And I'm Chameleon," stated the last girl who had long green hair and was slightly taller than the others.

"Good," said Tarantula. "Gecko, you look for Cobra. Iguana, you go after Rattler. And Chameleon, Mamba's your girl. Like I said, just study and get intel at this point. Don't do ANYTHING right now besides that until my say so. Though we may start wreaking havoc even before we do anything to those Serpents. You have your orders, GO!" And the three girls went to look for their targets.

"As for the rest of you," Tarantula finished, "wait until either Gertie or myself give any orders to start destruction. Right now the cops are looking for me and we can't do anything without arousing suspicion. So wait until further notice. You are dismissed!" And the girls began to leave gradually so not to arouse any kind of suspicion.

Later, Lucy was with Linus, Eudora, Schroeder, Rattler, Thibault, Cobra, and her new boyfriend Dominick, at Joe's Café enjoying lunch. All were getting to know Dominick.

"So how did you and Cobra meet, Dom," said Eudora.

"Well I also went to Freemont," said Dominick. "I always had a crush on Sylvia, even when she was leading the Serpent Sisters. She didn't want to get me involved in her gang activity so we didn't date until now."

"I never wanted anything bad to happen to Dom," said Cobra. "So I remained friends with him until I finally said let's go out to the movies a few weeks ago."

"Well you two look happy," said Linus.

"Where's Charlie Brown and Frieda?" asked Lucy.

"Don't you remember, Lucy?" said Eudora. "Charles, Frieda, Sally, Michael, Snoopy, and Woodstock went to Frieda's family cottage for a few weeks."

"That's right," Lucy said, now remembering. "They're the lucky ones. They're not stuck in town like us!"

"Hey we're still going to the amusement park," reminded Linus.

"Oh yeah, so we'll have plenty of fun," said Schroeder. And the kids continued to talk about all of their summer plans, not knowing what chaos awaited them in the process.

**NEXT CHAPTER: RETURN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: MEANWHILE AT JUVIE…**

Later that night at the Juvenile Detention Center, a girl was being released the next day. She was spending her last night at the facility watching TV with her fellow inmates. Wendy, the night guard, hated the girl, named Mandy, with a passion, and she did very little to hide it. She made it known with all of the inmates her disdain for the girl. One of the reasons was she didn't speak, but understood what everyone was saying. Another was she tried to stay out of trouble, although Wendy wanted her to get in trouble just so she could put her in the "hole" at least once. But the main reason why she hated her was the fact that she killed someone and had a chance at getting out for good behavior and staying out of trouble. Usually another guard was there to keep Wendy in line, but this particular night she was on her own, making it easier to pick on the poor girl. All she wanted was to get through her last night in Juvie problem-free. All Wendy had to do was make sure the inmates did what she said and keep the peace, but she was too focused on making Mandy miserable s there could be a breakout and all that would matter to her would be torturing Mandy.

Well, Mandy was watching TV with the other girls, when Wendy started in on her. "Well I heard that you're getting out tomorrow, murderer," she sneered. "You already know that I hate you because you killed a girl that you were supposed to be friends with. That's nothing new. But tonight, no other guards are here. It's just me. And I'm going to make your last night here a living nightmare!"

"Hey, Wendy," said one of the inmates, "how about making sure one of us don't try to break out of this awful place, rather than picking on Mandy! You know, actually doing your job!"

"Shut it, scum!" yelled Wendy. "Sorry we were interrupted, murderer. Well I can't send you to the 'hole' due to you being back out in civilization in a few hours. What can I do to make your life miserable for at least tonight?"

"Hey, girls," said that same girl, "we need to protect Mandy from that nutcase Wendy. All of the other guards are fair and actually decent, but she's insane. How did someone like her even get this job?"

"But she'll probably do the same to us!" said another girl.

"Hey, don't forget, there are more of us than her," the head girl said. "And if she tried anything to hurt Mandy, we'll go after Wendy. Agreed?" The girls nodded their heads and watch the drama unfold.

"So I think I have a plan for you," Wendy said, licking her lips. "How about we do a little waterboarding, murderer? You're big enough to take it with your fat butt!"

"Wendy!" said the head girl. "Don't you dare lay one slimy finger on Mandy!"

"Oh and what are you going to do, Willona?" asked a deranged Wendy. "You try to intervene, I'll give you what I'm about to give the murderer here, but unlike HER, you won't be as lucky."

"If you hurt Willona, you'll have to hurt me, as well!" said another girl.

"Pft. Fine," sneered Wendy. Just then all of the girls stood up and walked towards Wendy. Her bravado started lowering and for once she got nervous.

"I-I can't handle all of you at once!" said a scared Wendy.

"That's the point, Wendy," Willona said. "Now are you going to leave Mandy alone, or will you have to 'Run the Gauntlet', so to speak?"

"What's going on here?!" It was Francine, the warden. She had came back because she forgot a file she had to bring with her.

"Ah, you're just in time, boss," said Wendy with a smarmy grin. "Mandy here was starting trouble again, that's all. Getting the other girls to attack me."

"That's not true, warden!" pleaded Willona. "Wendy had it out for Mandy from Day One! She was about to waterboard Mandy as a going-away present. Then Wendy threatened to do the same to me and Annie before you got here!"

"Is that true, Mandy?" asked Francine. Mandy simply nodded.

"SPEAK, SCUM!" screamed Wendy.

"THAT IS ENOUGH, WENDY!" shouted Francine. "I have had it with you and your causing trouble for these girls. They are being rehabilitated for what they did and are trying to get back to their families, and yet, you made it your life's work to make sure that don't happen. Well that ends tonight. The reason why I came back here was I forgot a file. This file right here. You know what this file is?"

"No not really."

"It's your transfer papers, Wendy."

"T-Transfer papers?"

"That's right. I'm having you transferred to the Hennepin County Jail, Women's Department. This way you will work with women your age or older. I talked to the sheriff and he agreed that you are not fit to work with children. As of matter of fact I got a replacement guard on their way here to take your place right as we speak. You are dismissed, Wendy. Leave your keys here."

"But…"

"LEAVE!" And Wendy handed Francine her keys. But before she left, she had one parting shot for Mandy.

"You don't know how lucky you just got, murderer!" she sneered.

"YOU'RE STILL HERE?!" fumed Francine. "GET OUT! NOW!" And Wendy finally exited the facility. The girls cheered for Francine.

"All right, calm down, girls," said Francine. "If ANY guard or staff member is giving you trouble, don't hesitate to let me know. As part of your rehabilitation here, we also make sure no negative influences are in here, including insane, homicidal guards."

And Mandy smiled and hugged Francine. She was grateful that she ended Wendy's reign of terror. And Francine stayed with the girls until the replacement guard showed up.

**NEXT CHAPTER: LAKESIDE FUN**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5: SNOOPY GOES SURFING… …ON A LAKE?!**

Back at the cottage the next day, Charlie Brown and Michael were in their swim trunks getting ready to head out to the lake for some fun in the water. They were waiting for Frieda and Sally to get ready. Snoopy was also dressed in swim trunks. He also had a surf board, which perplexed the boys.

"Snoopy, you know this is a lake that we're on, not an ocean," said Charlie Brown. "How do you expect to catch some waves?" Snoopy mimed that he would be pulled by boat.

"I guess he's going to water board on the lake," said Michael.

"That makes sense then," agreed Charlie Brown. Soon the girls came out and joined the boys. Sally was dressed in a blue one-piece swimsuit with flowers on it, while Frieda wore a pink bikini which also had flowers printed on it.

"What do you think of our swimsuits boys?" asked Frieda.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say 20!" said Michael.

"You look great, Frieda!" added Charlie Brown.

"I think they're winners, Frieda," said Sally, with a smile.

"How about we head out to the lake?" suggested Frieda.

"I'm game," said Charlie Brown. And the kids, along with Snoopy and Woodstock, headed for the lake for some fun and swimming.

The property had a dock for a boat Mr. Rich drove. Also there was a private beach, complete with sand, for the kids to lay out on. Frieda wore a swimming cap so she could keep her curly hair nice. Sally and Michael worked on a sand castle. Snoopy laid out in the sun to "tan", as did Woodstock. Charlie Brown and Frieda went for a swim in the lake. Later, Mr. Rich took the kids out on the boat to ride a large inner tube that was towed by the boat. The kids wore lifejackets in case they fell off. But as the boat was towed, they held on pretty good until the water got choppy from the waves other boats were producing and they all went into the water. They laughed because they were having plenty of fun. Next, Snoopy took his board and had Mr. Rich pull him as he "surfed". We hear Snoopy's inner monologue…

"Here's the world-famous water boarder heading out on the lake to show off his water boarding skills for the chicks. As he mounts his board and heads into the water, he readies himself for the tow. He signals the driver to go ahead. As our hero performs tricks, the people watching are in awe of his talent."

"Look at that crazy dog," said Sally. "Though with Snoopy it is expected for him to show off."

"Did he just do a quadruple spin?!" asked a bewildered Michael.

"Michael, with Snoopy, these things are to be expected," said Charlie Brown.

After a while Snoopy lost control of the board and wiped out into the water.

"Uh oh, he wiped out, daddy," said Frieda. "You better head back and get him." And the boat went back where Snoopy was and the kids pulled the beagle in.

"Is he alright, big brother?" asked Sally. Snoopy then shot water out of his mouth. Charlie Brown rolled his eyes.

"He's okay, Sally," sighed Charlie Brown. The kids enjoyed the rest of the day at the lake. They even had lunch on the dock and did some fishing. Snoopy even caught a few walleye. Though Woodstock had to do battle with some vengeful worms that once again tied him to a tree. Snoopy let his friend free, of course, and the kids continued to have fun.

**NEXT CHAPTER: THE SERPENTS LEARN ABOUT TARANTULA**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6: CAUSE FOR ALARM**

Lucy, Cobra, and Rattler were out enjoying the summer day when they listened to a radio a kid was carrying. It was a local news bulletin. They weren't overly concerned until the subject matter came up:

_"Police are still looking for the whereabouts of Hilary Wilson. She escaped from Hennepin County Mental Health Facility this past Saturday. No one has seen or reported Wilson anywhere. We interviewed Doctor Barnes, who was tasked with her treatment."_

Doctor Barns began,_ "This girl is very dangerous. We advise not to approach her and if you do see her, contact the authorities at once. But do so when you are at a safe place where she can't find you."_

The announcer continued,_ "Wilson is 11 years old, but is very volatile. She has done various crimes in two years that only an adult could do in twenty. She was also a member of the feared Sparkyville gang The Lizard Ladies." _Lucy and the Serpents gasped.

"It couldn't be!" said a shocked Cobra.

"It wouldn't be!" added an also shocked Rattler.

"It shouldn't be!" said Lucy. "Should it?!"

The announcer continued his report. _"The Lizard Ladies were responsible for the biggest gang shooting in Sparkyville history that happened at a local salvage yard on the west side of town over a year ago, which cost the life of Margaux Holt at age 10. While Wilson wasn't the one who pulled the trigger, it was another gang member that did so. Wilson wears purple hair, and seems to giggle a lot. She also goes by the handle… Tarantula."_ The girls gasped in shock.

"Good grief!" said an upset Lucy. "Tarantula has indeed escaped!"

"What are we going to do, Cobra?!" cried a scared Rattler.

"All right, girls, we knew this may happen one day," said Cobra, trying to stay calm. "Right now, we continue to lead our lives as we have been since Python's death. As far as Tarantula knows, we're still out of the game. She hasn't tried anything on us or the Spiders as far as I know. At least not yet. But stay vigilant! She may try something. I'll try to get in touch with Black Widow, and see if she's heard anything. For right now, we'll head back to our homes. We'll only come out when we have to. Agreed?" Lucy and Rattler shook their heads. "Okay, let's head back to our homes now." And the girls headed back to their homes wondering what will happen next. Unbeknownst to them, the three girls from the Lizards tasked with watching them was following each of their targets back to their homes. Gecko tailed Cobra, Iguana tailed Rattler, and Chameleon tailed Lucy, all staying a safe distance from them so not to give away their presence.

A bit later, Mandy had gotten off the bus from Sparkyville Juvenile Detention Center at the bus station. Her parents were waiting for her. They immediately hugged her and grabbed her belongings and went home. Mandy was determined to leave her past life behind and begin on a clean slate. Though she would be forced to go to a different school, as she would not be allowed to go back to a Sparkyville district school. They had already planned to move out of the city to another district. But that would happen later in the summer. For now Mandy would enjoy her newfound freedom and try to get away from her past.

**NEXT CHAPTER: ON THE EDGE**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7: WHAT NOW?**

Peppermint Patty was asked to come to the Van Pelt house. She wondered what was going on. She had Marcie, Franco, and Hans with her and they too were wondering what was happening.

"Did Lucille say anything to you over the phone, sir?' asked Marcie.

"No, she didn't say what was going on, Marcie," said a concerned Patty. "She said she'd tell me once I got over there."

"Hopefully there's no trouble," said Franco.

"Yah, hoffentlich ist alles in Ordnung*," added Hans.

Once the kids got to the house, Patty rang the doorbell. Linus answered it. "Thank goodness you guys are here. This pertains to all of us. Luckily, Charlie Brown, Frieda, Sally, Michael, Snoopy, and Woodstock are out of town so they don't have to deal with this like we do." And the kids went in and met up with Lucy.

"Glad you guys are here," said Lucy. "I don't know if you know already, but Tarantula has escaped the mental hospital!"

"No way!" said a shocked Patty. "How did you find out, Lucille?"

"Cobra, Rattler, and I heard it on the radio this afternoon," Lucy replied. "We are sure she will be looking for us; looking for revenge, to finish where she and the Lizard Ladies left off in that salvage yard where Python got shot!"

"Calm down, Lucille," said Patty. "She may just skip town and try to go to another state."

"I don't think she even has the mental capabilities to do that, Patricia," Lucy responded. "One thing she is capable of: total destruction!"

"What are we going to do, sir?" asked a concerned Marcie.

"I don't know, Marcie," sighed Patty. "I think all we can do is wait. What are the other Serpent Sisters doing right now?"

"For now Cobra said for us to stay in and only go out if we have to," said Lucy.

"Probably a good idea," agreed Patty. "Where's Rerun right now?"

"He's at Piper's house playing games," said Linus.

"Call him right now and tell him to head back here," said Patty. "With that nutjob on the loose, nowhere is safe right now. Now I wished we all went with Chuck and the others to Frieda's cottage. At least they're safe, until they get back and Tarantula is still out there then." And Linus proceeded to call Rerun at Piper's house. Lucy just paced back and forth with nervousness. Outside, Chameleon kept watching the house from a distance in some bushes.

At Rattler's house, she was rubbing Andy's fur. Andy noticed Rattler's nervousness. He licked her on the cheek to help her feel better.

"Oh Andy," she began, "if only you knew how scared I am right now. If I could I'd stay here until things were better. Until she gets caught and brought back to the nuthouse!" Andy looked at his owner with genuine worry. He didn't want to leave her side. They heard a knock at the door. Rattler was hesitant to answer, but then she heard, "Holly? It's me. Thibault!"

She immediately answered for her boyfriend. "Oh Tee Wee! I'm glad you're here! Tarantula's escaped and is on the loose!"

"I've heard," said Thibault. "It's been all over the news. I came over to see how you were doing."

"I'm better now that you're here," said a relieved Rattler. "With you and Andy around, I know I'm safe. Mom and dad are working late again, and I'm scared that someone from the Lizards will do something while they're gone."

"Well I won't let anything happen to you, Holly. Nor will Andy. Ain't that right, boy?" Andy saluted just like his brother, Snoopy, would. Rattler breathed a sigh of relief. With Thibault staying with her, and Andy at her side, she knew she'd be safe. Outside of her house in the bushes, Iguana was taking notes.

Meanwhile, Cobra was with Dominick, who had come over for a visit. Dominick also heard about Tarantula's escape. He was understandably concerned about his girlfriend.

"You okay, Sylvia?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Dom," said Cobra. "I just hope they find Tarantula before she and her Lizards find us. I talked to Widow, the leader of the Spiders, and she already knows about her escape, as well. She told us that she's planning ahead for an attack on them and for us to continue to lay low."

"Probably a good idea. I'd hate myself if anything happened to you."

"Oh, Dom. You are too good to me." And the two kissed and cuddled for a bit. Outside of Cobra's place, Gecko was also hiding in nearby bushes, watching. All three Lizards remembered what Tarantula said. For them NOT to do anything to the Serpents until she said otherwise, but to just keep an eye on them and gather information.

**NEXT CHAPTER: CARNIVAL IN THE COUNTRY**

(*) "Yeah, hopefully everything is all right."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8: TUNNEL OF LOVE**

There was a carnival happening at the fairgrounds near Frieda's cottage the next day. And the kids wanted to check it out. So Frieda, along with Charlie Brown, Sally, Michael, Snoopy, Woodstock, and a neighbor kid named Jimmy, went to the carnival to ride some rides. Once they got there they were surprised to see how big it was. It had rides, games, and huge roller coasters. The kids paid for their wrist bands so they could have unlimited rides on the rides.

"So what do you want to ride first, baby?" asked Frieda to Charlie Brown.

"We could do the roller coaster first," suggested Charlie Brown.

"Are you sure?" Frieda wondered. "You know you get sick easy on those."

"Maybe, but I need to get used to them sometime," Charlie Brown replied. "Plus I took some Dramamine, so I'm good to go."

"All right, the roller coaster it is!" said a happy Frieda. And the kids boarded the Mind Warper, the first coaster there. As they rode it they had fun, and Charlie Brown didn't get sick on it. Next they did the fun house, which they had fun, though Charlie Brown had a little trouble with the spinning tunnel. Then they went on the scrambler which was exciting for all. After that, the couples all went on the tunnel of love, while Jimmy and Snoopy, along with Woodstock went to play some carnival games.

While on the Tunnel of Love, Frieda said to Charlie Brown, "Isn't this romantic, sweetie?"

"It sure is, Frieda," agreed Charlie Brown. "I'm glad I'm spending the summer with you."

"I am glad, too, hun," said Frieda. She then kissed Charlie Brown, making him blush a bit. She could still make him smile with her kisses.

Meanwhile in Sally and Michael's boat, Sally said to Michael, "I'm so glad you and I are together here, Michael. I didn't think I'd be able to do this again after the accident."

"I'm glad too, Sally," said Michael. "There's no one else that I want to be with more than you."

"Oh, Sweet Babboo!" cooed Sally, who then kissed Michael, making him smile.

After the four of them got off the Tunnel of Love, Jimmy and Snoopy greeted them.

"Hey, guys," he said. "Look at all the prizes Snoopy won!" And Snoopy pushed a wheelbarrow full of prizes towards the kids.

"Only my dog could pull this off," sighed Charlie Brown. Woodstock grabbed a teddy bear with his talons and flew it over to Frieda and dropped it in her hands.

"Why thank you, Woodstock," she said, stroking his face, making him blush almost as much as Charlie Brown. He did the same for Sally bringing her a unicorn with a rainbow-colored horn.

"Thanks, Woodstock," said Sally. Snoopy then gave his owner a Louisville Slugger baseball bat he won at the ball toss.

"Thanks, Snoopy ol' pal," said Charlie Brown with a smile. Snoopy then gave Michael a basketball.

"Thanks, Snoopy!" said a happy Michael. And the kids brought the prizes back to the van where Frieda's parents parked before going back to ride the rides. The fun would continue through the night.

**NEXT CHAPTER: THE CHAOS BEGINS!**


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9: SETTING THE STAGE**

A few days later at Joe's Café, Violet, Shermy, Patty, and Ox were having a double lunch date. They were enjoying themselves when a group of scuzzy-looking girls came in. One was almost as large as Ox, and another was tall and skinny. They were a pair of Lizard Ladies doing Tarantula's bidding. They sat next to the quartets table and started in on them.

"Mm-mm, those fries look mighty good, don't they, Skink?" asked the large girl.

"Dey shore do, Komodo Dragon," said Skink, the skinny one who also had a southern accent. "Why do we have a little ol' taste, shall we?" And they started to dig in Violet's fries.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, you scum?!" said an upset Violet.

"Now be nice, Pollyanna," sneered Komodo Dragon. "We haven't had a bite in a while and we're parched."

"Yessim, I haven't had any vittles in a mighty long time thar, baby," added Skink.

"Did you just call me 'Pollyanna'?" asked Violet.

"Did we stutter, Pollyanna?" said Komodo Dragon, in a threatening way.

"All right you had your fun, now leave my girlfriend's food alone!" said Shermy, trying to intervene.

"Please leave us alone and let us enjoy our food," added Ox.

"Look at that one thar, Komodo," said Skink about Ox. "He's a biggun! Perfect for you."

"That's my man, you cretins!" exclaimed Patty.

"You stay out of this, Mary Sue!" threatened Komodo Dragon. "Getting back to the skinny dude here, if you wanted us to leave, all you have to do is just ask. We will kindly leave you folks alone. After we take Pollyanna's food here!" And they snatched up Violet's food and they started eating it all.

"SHERMY, DO SOMETHING!" cried Violet.

"We need help over here!" shouted Shermy. One of the cooks came from the back.

"Are you two causing trouble?" asked the cook.

"No," said Komodo Dragon. "We already caused trouble. Now we're eating. And the little prissy one here was nice enough to share her food with us."

"You cretins took my food!" Violet protested.

"Okay, you two can leave here right now!" ordered the cook.

"Come on, Skink," said Komodo Dragon. "We need to meet up with Tarantula, anyway." Shermy gasped when she said Tarantula.

"Okey dokey, pokey!" said Skink. And the two girls complied and left without a fight. But they had one more thing to say to Violet.

"We'll see you soon, Pollyanna," said Komodo Dragon. "And thanks for the meal."

Violet tried to go after those two girls, but was stopped by Shermy and Ox. Patty pleaded with her, "Leave it alone, Vi! They're not worth you landing in the hospital!"

"Listen to yer friend, Mary Sue, thar, Pollyanna," teased Skink.

"LEAVE!" shouted the cook, losing patience. And the two troublemakers left for Tarantula's hideout.

"I'll remake your food," the cook said. "All of your meals are now on the house."

"Thank you," said Shermy. Violet calmed down after that. Her day was almost ruined but was saved when the cook offered her a free meal. Shermy thought to himself, "She can't be back! Can she?"

Elsewhere at Ace's Ice Cream Shop, Peppermint Patty, Franco, Marcie, and Hans were enjoying some sundaes. Two other Lizard Ladies members walked in. One was small and had a hat on her head hiding most of her face. Another was average height, and sported red hair with black tips. They sat next to the two couples.

"Hey those sundaes look yummy," said the short girl. "Don't they look yummy, Gila Monster?"

"Absolutely, Agama," agreed Gila Monster.

"Uh, can we help you?" asked Peppermint Patty.

"Oh don't mind us, big nose," sneered Gila Monster. "We don't make it in here too often. We just want to know what kind of ice cream they have here."

"Yeah," added Agama. "We just want to try out these sundaes, Jenny Durante!"

"What did you call me?!" said Patty through gritted teeth.

"She don't like being called 'Durante', ladies," warned Marcie. "For obvious reasons."

"Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha, Schnozola!" teased Gila Monster. That was enough for Patty.

"All right, you jerks!" yelled an angry Patty. "I know I have a big nose! I don't need reminding of it! Especially from a pair of Reform School rejects!"

"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots!" joked Agama. "How about you, Gila?"

"Terrified!" said Gila Monster, sarcastically.

"Bleib ruhig, Patricia*," said Franco. "Diese Hexen sind es nicht wert!**"

"You two scuzzoids got about ten seconds to exit this place with your insides intact," warned Patty.

"We're leaving, girlie, we're leaving," Agama said.

"I suggest getting a rhinoplasty, Schnozola," joked Gila Monster, getting in one final dig at Patty's expense.

"Don't leave, you haven't met my two friends, RIGHTY AND LEFTIE!" And it took Franco, Hans, and Marcie to hold back Patty from trying to start trouble. The girls left laughing.

"Cool it, sir!" said Marcie, trying to calm her friend down. "They're gone! They're gone!"

"Sorry, gang," said Patty, regaining her composure. "I just hate it when someone besides myself talks about my nose."

"We understand, Patricia," said Hans. And the kids continued to eat their sundaes. Patty hoped she would see those girls again, so she could deliver a knuckle sandwich to both of them. Little did anyone know that the Lizards were just scouting the Serpents favorite hangouts, while heckling people in the progress. Worse was about to happen.

**NEXT CHAPTER: INFERNO!**

(*) Keep calm, Patricia.

(**)These witches aren't worth it!


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10: DESTRUCTION BEGINS**

Word was getting around about the Lizard Ladies terrorizing the kids and residents of Sparkyville. People were not going out as much, as a result. The movie theater was filled to the brim with Lizard Ladies disrupting the movie, kids left even without asking for a refund. And they were heckling folks who had come out to enjoy a nice summer day at Sparkyville Park. Nowhere was safe from Lizard Ladies anymore. But all of that was just a prequel of events to come.

One night, Lucy was asleep in bed when Linus came running in. "Lucy! Wake up! Cobra's on the phone for you!"

"I'd pound you if it wasn't important for waking me up," groaned Lucy. "Luckily a call from Cobra this late is important." And Lucy went to the phone to answer the call.

"Cobra?" she began. "What's going on?"

"Sparkyville's on fire, girl!" said Cobra, not mincing words.

"Wait, what's going on?" asked a confused Lucy.

"The whole town, Mamba!" said Cobra with urgency. "Joe's Café, the theater, Ace's Ice Cream Shop! Everything's up in flames as we speak!"

"Good grief!"

"What's going on, Lucy?" asked a concerned Linus.

"The whole town's on fire, Linus!" said a shocked Lucy.

And everywhere buildings were burning. The fire department had their hands full that night. Residents and kids came out to see the carnage. Police told everyone to stay back. Luckily, Charlie Brown's father's barber shop was spared in the inferno, but not too much else. It was like Hell itself came to Sparkyville that night.

The next morning, folks went out to survey the damage. Joe's thankfully, didn't have much fire damage, so it could be rebuilt. Although it would remain closed for the rest of the summer pending repairs. Luckily, the owner of Joe's had a food truck that he used during festivals and carnivals. He would use that to serve the customers and set up picnic tables in the parking lot while the building got worked on. The movie theater also didn't suffer much fire damage, though it, too, would remain closed for repairs. The Brown family's barber shop was spared from the fires so they could operate as normal. The library was also spared from the fires. For the most part, all that burned down were vacant buildings that didn't have anyone in them to begin with. But the biggest casualty was Ace's Ice Cream Shop, which burned down to the ground.

Lucy, Linus, Eudora, Schroeder, Rerun, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Franco, Hans, Cobra, Dominick, Rattler, Thibault, Franklin, and Melanie looked over the burned remains of Ace's. They couldn't believe that one of their hangouts was gone. Linus planned to call Charlie Brown to update him on the carnage later, but for now, he was looking over everything.

"There's nothing left," he said, with a sigh. "It's completely destroyed."

"I think I know who's responsible," said Patty, now getting angry. "You're old rivals, the Lizard Ladies!" Patty pointed at Lucy and the Serpents. "They're doing this to get revenge on you girls! You need to end this once and for all!"

"We don't know if the Lizards are responsible or not, Patricia!" argued Lucy.

"She may be right, Mamba," said Cobra. "All of this coincides with Tarantula breaking out. Plus with all the attacks on the residents before these fires broke, it makes sense. Patty's right, we may have to end this thing. But we're going to need help if we go against the Lizards again."

"Who will help us?" asked a worried Rattler. "The Spiders? We haven't heard from them in days. They may have split for all we know!"

All of the sudden, Violet walked up with Shermy, who looked awful and sad. "Guys," she began. "Shermy needs to tell you something. Go ahead, Shermy. Tell them what you told me."

"There's no way to say this easily," said Shermy. "Tarantula is my cousin."

"WHAT?!" shouted everyone.

"Her real name is Hilary Wilson," Shermy began. "Her father is my father's brother. I had no idea she was the one responsible for your friend Margaux getting killed until now. I only recently learned about her being the leader of the Lizard Ladies. I found out after some of her gang heckled us at Joe's a few days back. One of them mentioned her by her handle. I knew about her being a member of the Spiders before, but I had no idea she was the one who formed the Lizard Ladies."

"Do you know her whereabouts now, Shermy?" asked Cobra.

"No, I don't," he said. "But I do want to help stop her. She's not right in the head and I want to put an end to her reign of terror."

"Well, we may need your help, Shermy," said Lucy, "because as bad as it is now, things are going to get much, much worse!" And the kids looked over what was left, or not left, of Ace's Ice Cream Shop. They were pondering what their next move would be.

**NEXT CHAPTER: WHAT IS MANDY UP TO?**


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11: MANDY'S PRESPECTIVE**

Mandy was walking around a nearly destroyed Sparkyville looking over the damage that had been done. She couldn't believe what had happened. It was all everyone in town was talking about, especially how Ace's Ice Cream Shop was totaled. She didn't know who or what did this, but she had her own suspicions. As she kept walking, she was blind-sided by a vengeful Wendy, the former guard from the detention center.

"At last, I've found you, murderer!" she sneered as she sat on top of her. "Don't worry, I know you had nothing to do with this carnage out here. I'm just here for my own personal revenge on you!" Wendy then pulled out a gun and aimed it at point blank range at Mandy.

"Is this how you killed that girl, huh?!" she screamed. "Or did you do it at a further distance?! No matter, I'm going to avenge the girl who you shot! Any last words? And for once in your miserable life, YOU BETTER SPEAK UP!"

"Hey, that lady is about to kill that girl!" shouted a bystander.

"Someone call the cops!" shouted another.

"Is that lady insane?!" wondered a kid on a bike.

And, as luck would have it, two police officers aimed their guns at Wendy. "Drop it!" said the lead officer. "Ma'am, put the gun down and get up off the girl."

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" screamed Wendy. "THIS LITTLE FAT BRAT JUST GOT OUT OF JUVIE, DESPITE HAVING KILLED HER BEST FRIEND IN A GANG-RELATED FIGHT JUST OVER A YEAR AGO! I'M JUST AVENGING THE GIRL SHE MURDERED!"

"Are you talking about the gang fight that happened at Sam's Auto Salvage Yard that happened back during the winter before last?" asked a bystander.

"THAT'S the one!" said Wendy.

"I know the girl, lady," said the lead officer. "I was the arresting officer that night. She was only charged with involuntary manslaughter as a juvenile. I was the one that petitioned for her early release due to her being a model inmate."

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" screamed Wendy. "That girl she killed was my DAUGHTER!" Everyone had gasped.

"Mrs. Holt?!" said the shocked officer.

"Why didn't you recognize me, Mandy?!" she asked Mandy. "All I want to know is why did you kill my daughter?!" Mandy signed to the officers if they had a piece of paper and an ink pen to write with. One of the officers pulled out their note pad and Mandy started writing on it.

_"Mrs. Holt, I wanted to apologize to you about my role in this whole situation. Your daughter was never my intended target that night. She had pushed the girl I was aiming for out of the way and took the bullet for her. And I am not making any excuses for my actions. I have seen what my killing your daughter has done to you and what it has done to my former friends. When I go to Juvie, I knew I didn't want to go down the wrong path ever again, and I promised myself if I ever got out, I would do right for a change. And I am truly sorry for killing Margaux. I really am."_

Margaux's mother read Mandy's statement. Lucy, Cobra, and Rattler also happened to be walking by and saw the commotion. They were shocked to see the scene before them.

"Is that Anaconda?!" said a shocked Lucy.

"It is," Cobra replied. "She must have just gotten out of Juvie."

"But why is Python's mother aiming a gun at her?" asked Rattler.

"Wait, what?!"

Wendy looked at her daughter's assailant. She finally said, "You took my daughter away from me. I'm sure you are sorry, and I'm sure she was never your intended target, but you were her friend. As far as I'm concerned, you will join my daughter in death!"

"MRS. HOLT, DON'T DO IT!" shouted Lucy.

"Lucy?!" said a bewildered Wendy. "What are you doing here, child?"

"We happened to be in the area," said Lucy. "Amanda's not your target. Sure she was the one who pulled the trigger that ended Margaux's life, but she's not the one who's actually responsible for her death. We know who is, though! It's that girl who escaped from the mental facility, Hilary Wilson! She had set it up for Amanda to actually take us all out, but I was her main target when Margaux pushed me out of the way. It was a setup perpetrated by Hilary, who goes by Tarantula."

"Are you serious?" asked Wendy.

"As a heart attack, Mrs. Holt," said Cobra. "She was going to have Amanda take the fall and even take her out after she was done with us. Tarantula is the girl responsible for all of this! The fires that happened last night, the heckling of people from the Lizard Ladies, and even your daughter's death. Amanda is sorry for what she's done, and she will have to live with that for the rest of her life, but an eye for an eye is NOT the way to do this, ma'am!"

Wendy thought for a moment. She looked at Amanda. Then she looked at the cops, weapons still trained on her. She slowly placed the gun down on the ground and then started crying uncontrollably. The drama with Amanda and Wendy was over. The cops grabbed the gun and secured it. They gently picked up Wendy and escorted her to an awaiting patrol car.

"Am I under arrest, officer?" Wendy asked meekly.

"We don't need any extra paper work, ma'am," said the lead officer. "Just give us a brief statement and you will only be charged with misdemeanor assault, due to traumatic stress. We will let the weapons charge go under the circumstance that you didn't fire a shot." Wendy sighed. This had been a traumatic week for her. The girls went over to Anaconda.

"Are you okay?" asked Lucy. Anaconda nodded. She mouthed "I'm sorry, Mamba" to Lucy. She smiled.

"Forget it, Anaconda," said Lucy. "We know about Tarantula and how she manipulated you. She's trying to finish the job on us, though, since breaking out of the mental hospital."

"We may need your help," said Cobra. "But at the same time, since you just got out, you can sit this one out if you want, Anaconda. We will understand." Anaconda thought about it for a moment. Then she stuck her hand out. Cobra grabbed it, then Lucy. Rattler was a bit hesitant, but then grabbed it. She also whispered to Anaconda, "DON'T cross your sisters ever again!" And with that, the Serpent Sisters were reunited, and ready to search for Tarantula and end the trouble with the Lizard Ladies once and for all.

**NEXT CHAPTER: RECRUITING THE ORIGINALS**


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12: SERPENT SISTERS PRIME**

"You mean Ace's is completely gone, Linus?!" asked a shocked Charlie Brown on the phone. Frieda, Sally, Michael, and Snoopy were listening in.

"Destroyed by the fire, Charlie Brown," said Linus. "Joe's was one of the lucky ones that didn't suffer that much, but enough to close it for repairs. Your father's barber shop came out of it unscathed, though."

"Oh my gosh, Charlie Brown," said a sad Frieda. "Ace's was where we had our first date. I'm really going to miss it."

"Any word on who did this?" asked Sally.

"Well, you remember Tarantula, the girl behind the Lizard Ladies that caused that fight at Sam's last year?" said Linus.

"Yeah, where it ended up costing Python her life," said Charlie Brown.

"Well after you guys left, we found out that she had escaped the mental hospital she was staying at," said Linus. "Plus a lot of rowdy girls have been causing trouble around town before the fires broke out. So we think the Lizard Ladies are on the rise again, and possibly looking to settle the score with Lucy and the Serpent Sisters."

"Good grief!" exclaimed Charlie Brown. "I hope Lucy and the others stay safe."

"You guys are the lucky ones, Charlie Brown," sighed Linus. "You got away at the right time."

"But don't forget, Linus, we are coming back to that mess, eventually," stated Michael.

"Yeah, but for now try to enjoy your trip," said Linus. "And Charlie Brown, Sally, I can look in on young Wyatt to see if he's okay if you want me to."

"We'd appreciate that, Linus," said Sally.

"Okay, I better go," Linus finished. "I'll call if anything else happens. See you later." And Charlie Brown hung up the speaker phone. Frieda was crying a bit.

"What are we going to go home to, baby?" she tearfully asked Charlie Brown.

"I don't know, Frieda," said a sad Charlie Brown. "We just have to pray that things will work out."

"No more Joe Burgers for a while?" thought a worried Snoopy. The kids pondered Sparkyville's future and what was going to happen.

Meanwhile, the Serpent Sisters were in a rough part of town. Lucy had never ventured in such a rough area, even when visiting the Spiders five months ago. Cobra had told them she knew where they could get some help.

"So who is this help we're getting, Cobra?" asked Lucy.

"The original Serpents, Mamba," Cobra responded. "They were the Serpent Sisters when we were still in preschool. They are older teens now, but I do know them personally. I told the original leader we were coming and she had gathered all of the original Serpents together to meet with us." And the girls came upon a depilated house with the porch coming apart with loose boards and warped boards all over. One of the windows was boarded up, and the awning over the porch was sagging. Cobra knocked on the door. They saw some eyes looking over the door window.

"Serpent or salesperson?" the figure asked.

"Serpents," Cobra replied.

"Okay, come in." And the door opened. There were five teenaged girls sitting around. One with black hair and blonde streaks stood up.

"How've you been, Cobra?" she asked.

"Okay, I guess," Cobra responded.

"I understand," said the girl. "With Tarantula doing who knows what to Sparkyville something needs to be done to stop her reign of terror. And we are ready to work with you girls. Have you reached out to Black Widow at all?"

"She knows," Cobra said, "but we haven't heard from her in a while."

"She may be planning something of her own with the Spiders," the girl said. "So who are your girls, Cobra?"

"This is Mamba, Rattler, and Anaconda," said Cobra. "Girls, these are the original Serpent Sisters."

The girl with the blonde streaks said, "My name is Sidewinder. The skinny girl is Viper, the one with the cool afro is Puff Adder, the redhead is Diamondback, and the big girl who answered the door is Boa."

"Nice to meet you girls," said Lucy.

"Wow!" said Rattler in awe. "The original Serpent Sisters! How awesome is this!"

"Well we have a lot of work and planning to do, girls," said Sidewinder. "We better get to it." And both the Serpents and the Serpents Prime got to work on planning how to end Tarantula's chaos campaign.

**NEXT CHAPTER: THE BATTLE BEGINS**


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13: PREPARING FOR THE CONFRONTATION**

Shermy hung out on the rough side of town hoping to see the same girls that heckled them at Joe's so they could lead them to Tarantula, his cousin. He figured if she listened to a family member she'd stop her reign of terror. He waited for a while, until he finally hit paydirt. Komodo Dragon and Skink just so happened to come out of an arcade. Shermy listened in.

"We better head back to the hideout where Tarantula is so we can hear what she wants us to do next," said Komodo.

"Reckon we's should, Komodo," agreed Skink. And Shermy followed the girls from a safe distance to where his cousin was. It took a while but he eventually made it to the abandoned house where she was hiding at. He hung back for a while to formulate a plan. Then he walked up to the house. To his surprise the door was open. We went in and saw how nasty and disgusting the place was. As he peered around a wall, he saw Tarantula talking to Gertie.

"We have a problem, boss," said Gertie.

"Let me have it," said Tarantula.

"Our so-called Secret Weapon went back to tha Soipent Sistahs," Gertie replied.

"So Anaconda is back with her 'sisters'," Tarantula pondered. "No big deal, we can still waste them and Anaconda for betraying us in the same shot." Shermy gasped. That brought attention to the rest of the crew.

"Gecko! See who that is!" ordered Tarantula. Shermy hid behind a couch in the living room. Gecko looked around but didn't see him. When it looked like she left, Shermy peeked over the couch. That was when he was taken by surprise.

"Why hello, cutie!" said Gecko. "If you wanted to meet a real girl, you didn't have to sneak in." And Gecko brought Shermy to Tarantula.

"Here's the spy, Tarantula," announced Gecko. "He's pretty handsome, though."

"Shermy?!" gasped Tarantula, seeing her cousin.

"Uh, hey, cuz," said a nervous Shermy.

"You know dis dude, chief?" asked Gertie.

"He's my cousin, Gertie," Tarantula responded.

"So you're our bosses cousin, slim," said Komodo Dragon. "Had I known that, I never would have messed with you or Pollyanna and your other goons."

"So what brings you by, Shermy," asked a suspicious Tarantula.

"Okay, I followed your girls here," confessed Shermy. "Komodo and Skink, is it?"

"You remember our names," said Komodo. "How sweet of you."

"Cute _and_ good with names," cooed Gecko. "Sounds like a keeper."

"Cool it, Gecko!" commanded Tarantula. "Continue, Shermy."

"I just wanted to tell you I know the Serpent Sisters," Shermy began.

"YOU DO?!" exclaimed Tarantula, interest now peaked.

"And I just so happen to be friends with one of them. Lucy Van Pelt. You probably know her as Mamba, and…"

"YOU'RE FRIENDS WITH MAMBA?!" screamed Tarantula.

"Yes, Hilly," said Shermy, calling her by her family nickname. "She's a good friend of mine. And I would like it if you would stop targeting them and stop all of this destruction to our town. Do it for me. Do it for your Sherm Dog!"

"Sherm Dog?!" snickered Komodo. "Nice!"

"Well, you see, cuzzo," Tarantula began, "we've put a lot of work into this chaos and mayhem that it's too late for us to stop. And as for calling off the vendetta towards your friends, why would I do that? Besides, cuz, I thought blood was thicker than water."

"Not if you're hurting innocent people," Shermy retorted.

"Innocent people?!" giggled Tarantula. "Give me a break! There's NOTHING innocent about the Serpents. You do remember they vandalized a reform school, don't ya?"

"Yeah, everyone knows about that. They haven't done anything of that nature since the confrontation at Sam's."

"Ah, you know about our first encounter! Well to be fair, everyone knew about that, as well."

"Good grief, Hilly! What is it going to take to get you to stop this madness?!"

"You wanna know what it'll take, Sherm Dog?"

"Yes!"

"The head of Lucille Van Pelt, aka MAMBA! As well as the other Serpents!" Shermy's blood ran cold at that statement. "Well I think time is up, cousin. It was a fun family reunion we had here."

"I may not be able to talk you out of doing what you're going to do, but I can still put a stop to it!" And before Shermy could get to the door, the Lizards blocked it and aimed their guns at him.

"Oh, you don't think I'm just going to let you do that, do ya, cuzzo?" sneered Tarantula. "Because you are family, I'm not going to end you like I would anyone else who does this. Instead I'm going to keep you here as my guest for a while. Gecko, take him downstairs and lock him up in the cage. And keep my cousin company by watching him."

"The pleasure is all mine, Tarantula," said Gecko with a smile. "Come on, cutie. Let me show you to your temporary accommodations." And Gecko escorted Shermy to the basement.

"Don't worry, cuz," Tarantula said as he was leaving. "We will feed you while you're here. And I will personally make sure Komodo Dragon DOESN'T eat it all like before!" And the girls laughed as he was being brought to the cage.

When they got downstairs and Gecko placed Shermy in the cage, he said to her, "What are you guys going to do with me?"

"For starters, be quiet!" whispered Gecko.

"Your voice!" noticed Shermy. "It's changed."

"My name is not really Gecko. I'm the leader of the Spiders, Black Widow."

"Black Widow?!"

"Keep it down, you blockhead!" scolded Widow. "I'm undercover as a Lizard Lady. I figure I'd infiltrate Tarantula's inner workings. I'm actually surprised she hasn't recognized me as of yet."

"So how are you going to get me out of here?" wondered Shermy.

"If you cooperate and do exactly as I say, I will get you to safety," assured Widow.

"Does the Serpent Sisters know you're here?"

"No, and I want it to stay that way until the right time. I know they're wondering what happened to me and my gang. I have some of my Spiders inside the Lizards inner workings, as well."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And luckily, me and a couple of my officers were selected to 'watch' Mamba, Cobra, and Rattler. The girl you saw with the green hair that's supposed to be named Chameleon is actually my current second-in-command Orbweaver. And the other girl who is going by Iguana is my first lieutenant Wolf Spider. When they think we are scouting them and trying to learn their inner workings, we are actually looking out for them."

"So when do we get out of this?"

"Right now you'll have to remain my 'prisoner' until we know for sure it's safe to let you 'escape'. Don't worry. I won't let the real Lizards lay a finger on you." And Shermy and Widow sat and waited for something to happen.

**NEXT CHAPTER: SNEAK ATTACK**


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14: AMBUSH!**

"Are you guys chicken?!" Linus was trying to get his friends to help the Serpent Sisters. But Peppermint Patty and the others were hesitant to get involved in a fight between the Serpents and the Lizards.

"We care about Lucille as much as the next person," said Peppermint Patty, "but I'm not getting involved again. Knowing what happened last year to Python I don't want to relive that again."

"None of us do, Patty," said Linus. "But we don't want to have to answer to the Lizard Ladies, either. The police aren't doing anything to stop it, it has to be us!"

"But we're scared, Linus," said Violet.

"We don't want to end up like that girl, either," added Franklin.

"Okay, I'm going to help my sister, with or without you," Linus remarked. "So once and for all, who's with me?!"

"I am, babe," said Eudora, siding with her boyfriend.

"You know I'm coming to help Lucy," said Schroeder.

"Us too," said Dominick and Thibault in unison.

"You know what?" said Patty [Swanson], "I'm coming too."

"Patty!" gasped Violet.

"I'm sorry, Vi," said Patty, "but I don't want to have to deal with that nutcase. Even if it is Shermy's cousin."

"Speaking of which, has anyone seen Shermy lately?" asked Ox.

"Not really," answered Linus. "Anyway, is there anyone else that wants to come?"

"I'll go, Linus," Marcie piped in.

"MARCIE!" shouted Peppermint Patty.

"I know it's the Serpent Sisters fight, sir," argued Marcie, "but they are our friends. Sure they may have not started out like that, but we have gotten to know them since Python's death. We owe it to them to save them, sir."

"I go too," said Hans.

"Sorry, Patricia," said Franco, "but I go, also."

"Against my better judgement, I'll help too, Linus," sighed Franklin.

"Sure, sounds like fun," giggled Melanie.

"Violet and Peppermint Patty?" said Linus. "Are you two in?"

Violet thought about it for a while.

"You can consider this making it up to Margaux, posthumously," suggested Eudora.

"Oh all right, I'm in," relented Violet.

Peppermint Patty thought about it. She swore she wouldn't stick her nose in anyone else business after the Homecoming fallout from before. But this was different. Their town and their friends were under threat. Finally she said, "If anything happens to us, Linus, I'm holding you personally responsible!"

"Noted," said Linus. "Okay that's everyone."

"Good thing Claudia and her family are out of town visiting relatives," said Peppermint Patty to Marcie.

"I can agree with you on that, sir," said Marcie.

"And stop calling me 'sir'!"

"I just wish Charlie Brown and the others were here," said Linus. "We could use even more help right now."

"You don't have to ask us twice, Linus." Linus looked up to see Charlie Brown, Frieda, Sally, Michael, Snoopy, and Woodstock, along with Snoopy's brothers Andy and Olaf standing at the door. Snoopy was dressed as Rambo.

"Charlie Brown!" gasped Linus.

"When did you get back, Chuck?!" asked Peppermint Patty.

"A few minutes ago," said Charlie Brown.

"My parents felt that it was time to get back early due to what was happening here," added Frieda.

"We saw what happened to everything, including Ace's," said a sad Sally.

"We're ready to take on those Lizard Ladies and help your sister and her friends," said Michael.

"Come on gang," said a mad Charlie Brown. "Let's help the Serpent Sisters and take back our town!" And the kids all headed out to search for the Lizard Ladies' hideout.

"Here's the world-famous soldier of fortune on his way to do battle with insane amazons," said Snoopy through his thoughts.

"There goes our brother again on a fantasy tangent," said Andy.

"He should write a book about his adventures," suggested Olaf.

"I think he already does that, Olaf," Andy replied. "He's often at the typewriter writing something."

Meanwhile, the current Serpent Sisters and the original Serpent Sisters were in the area of where the Lizards were. They noticed that the neighborhood looked like a ghost town as there were no other people around. They looked to see any kind of sign of life.

"It's really quiet here," said Sidewinder.

"Too quiet," agreed Cobra.

"So what now?" asked Rattler.

"We keep going," Sidewinder answered. "Look for any kind of activity. Check any and all houses. And don't split up! We stick together. Agreed?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Now let's check these houses."

And one by one, the Serpents checked out all the houses. Komodo Dragon watched in the distance and went back in to the house where Tarantula and the others were. "Tarantula, we've got company," she said.

"Who is it now?!" groaned Tarantula.

"Believe it or not, I think it's the Serpent Sisters themselves," suggested Komodo.

"Cobra, Mamba, Rattler , AND Anaconda?" asked Tarantula.

"Them and some others," Komodo replied. "They look older than the others. I think they're teen girls."

"It can't be!" gasped Tarantula.

"Can't be who, boss?" asked Gertie.

"The original Serpent Sisters, Gert!" said Tarantula, getting angry. "Before Cobra took over as leader, there were five original Serpent Sisters who were Sidewinder, the leader, Viper, Diamondback, Puff Adder, and Boa. Cobra and the others must have recruited them to help. Any word on the Spiders' whereabouts?"

"None," said Gila Monster. "It's like Widow and the others disappeared off the map."

"No matter," said Tarantula. "I'm sure Widow and the other Spiders will make their presence known soon enough! Right now, get all the Lizards together and prepare for the ambush!" And Komodo and Gila went to get the other Lizards.

"Gertie, let's go see my cousin for a bit before we meet up with the Serpents," Tarantula replied. And they went downstairs to where Gecko (Black Widow) and Shermy was. When he saw Tarantula come down, he stood up.

"Hilly," he said, "it's still not too late to do the right thing."

"Oh I'm about to do the right thing, cousin," Tarantula hissed. "Your friends the Serpents are here now. We plan to end this once and for all, but NOT in the way you intended. Hahaa! Gecko, continue to guard him until it's over. Understood?"

"Yes, Tarantula," said Widow, in her Gecko voice.

"Okay, Gertie, let's go meet up with our foes." And the two girls went back upstairs to face the Serpent Sisters. After they were gone, Shermy said to Widow, "Now what?! She's going to kill Lucy and the others!"

"No she won't, Shermy," said Widow. "Don't forget, 75% of those girls Tarantula has is my troops. Between them and the Serpents, they don't stand a chance. Now we will wait a moment, and then I'll let you out."

Back upstairs, as Komodo was about to head out to help with the confrontation, Tarantula stopped her and said, "Go down and keep Gecko company, Komodo. We should be good with what we have here."

"Are you sure, Tarantula?" asked Komodo.

"Definitely," said a venomous Tarantula. "Besides, there's something very familiar about Gecko. I can't put my finger on it, but I can't help the feeling that I know her somehow. Besides that, I trust you more than her, right now and I need someone I can trust to watch my cousin."

"I getcha, boss," said Komodo with a sick smile. "Besides, I'm starting to like your cousin there." And Komodo headed back in the house.

Back in the basement, Widow had let Shermy out of the cage. She said to him, "You try to head back and warn your friends, Shermy. Maybe they'll lend a hand, as well seeing it's Mamba's closest friends besides the Serpents."

"Sure thing," said Shermy. "And Widow?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." And Shermy went out the back cellar door, which was convenient for him so he didn't have to go through the house again. As Widow got prepared to stop Tarantula, she was blind-sided by Komodo.

"It's a good thing Tarantula told me to come down here," she sneered. "Seeing's how you let her cousin escape."

"You won't stop the Spiders from stopping your destruction!" groaned Widow.

"The Spiders?!" laughed Komodo. "What do they have to do with this?" It was then that Widow took off her disguise after getting back up to her feet.

"Black Widow?!" gasped Komodo.

"Yes, it's me," said Widow. "And ¾ of your Lizards are actually my Spiders waiting to strike! And they have an indicator on them. If anything happens to me and I hit a secret button on my person, that would be the signal to take out the Lizards."

"Well you want to test that theory out now, Widow?" asked Komodo, who then pulled out a huge serrated knife.

"You Lizards and your weapons," laughed Widow. "Never one for hand to hand combat!"

"I could if I had to," said Komodo, with as much venom in her words as the lizard she was named after. "But this is much more efficient." Before she could strike, she was knocked out by a 2 by 4 someone was holding. It was Orbweaver still in her "Chameleon" disguise.

"Are you all right, Widow?" she asked.

"I'm okay, Weaver," said Widow. "Thanks for knocking the fat witch out. Now you want to help me put her big butt into the cage?"

"You don't have to ask me again," said Weaver. And the two pulled the large Lizard Lady in and locked the cage, trapping her.

"She shouldn't cause anymore trouble," said Widow. "Where's Wolfie at?"

"She's with the other Spiders waiting to ambush the Lizards," Weaver replied.

"Good, now let's go out there and help the Serpents defeat Tarantula and the Lizards." And the two girls went out to help the Serpents.

Shermy had managed to get away from the neighborhood. All of the sudden he crashed into someone else. When he saw who it was that he knocked over, he smiled big.

"Charlie Brown!" he beamed. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you! The Lizard Ladies had trapped me and…"

"Wait a minute!" said Charlie Brown. "You were at the Lizards' hideout?"

"I was trying to convince my cousin who was the leader to end this chaos and…"

"Okay, I'm confused."

"Shermy is Tarantula's cousin, Charlie Brown," Linus explained. "From what he just told us, he tried to play peacemaker. Is that right?"

"That's right, Linus," said Shermy. "But instead of stopping the madness, she wants to kill your sister and the other Serpent Sisters as well!"

"Good grief!" gasped Linus.

"Can you take us to where they're at now, Shermy?" asked Charlie Brown.

"I'm not going back there!" said a scared Shermy. "Not after what I've been through."

"We're going to save Lucy and the others and help them out," said Linus.

"I'm going too, Shermy," said Violet.

"You too, Violet?!" asked a bewildered Shermy.

"We need you, Shermy," pleaded Violet. "We need to know where the Lizards are so we can help Lucy and the others."

"All right!" relented Shermy. "But I'm asking Lucy for a discount on the psychiatric help after this, that is if she doesn't need it herself." And Shermy went with the gang to show where the Lizards place was.

**NEXT CHAPTER: CLIMAX!**


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15: THE FINAL BATTLE**

The Serpents were still looking for Tarantula's hideout, not knowing that the Lizards were surrounding them as they were looking. All of the sudden, they spotted Tarantula and Gertie standing in the middle of the dimly-lit street. No other person was with them. The Serpents approached slowly, knowing what the psycho was capable of. They stopped a few yards from their foes.

"Welcome, Serpents," Tarantula said, unusually subdued, for her.

'Tarantula," said Cobra. "What do you have planned in that psychotic brain of yours?"

"Chaos and mayhem, the usual," said Tarantula, calmly. "Oh by the way, you didn't get a chance to meet my partner last time we had that confrontation at Sam's last time. This is Sam's little girl, Gertrude. You can call her Gertie."

"So you're the one who helped this nut set us up," growled Rattler.

"Yeh, that was me, goilie," said Gertie, with a sick smile.

"We're here to stop you, Tarantula," said Sidewinder.

"And to put you back in the hole you crawled out of," added Lucy.

"I see not only did you reunite with Anaconda," noted Tarantula, "but you also hooked up with the original Serpents, as well! Color me impressed. Maybe you forgotten that was the girl who shot your friend."

"We've forgiven her about that," said Cobra. "We also know that you were going to screw her over after we were taken out. Making her think she was in charge when all of the time YOU were calling the shots! You're not only sick in the head, you're a cheat, as well!"

"REALLY?!" laughed Tarantula. "Well, okay! You caught me! But I still hold the cards here! And now let us continue where we left off in the salvage yard, shall we?" And with a snap of her fingers, the Lizards came out of hiding with guns trained on the Serpents. At that moment, Widow and Weaver, still in disguise, joined Tarantula and Gertie.

"You were supposed to be watching Shermy!" growled Tarantula.

"You have Shermy?!" gasped Lucy.

"Komodo took over for me," said Widow in her Gecko voice.

"I can vouch for her," added Weaver in her Chameleon voice.

"I guess that's okay then," said Tarantula. "Now as I was saying, any last words? And because I am a nice girl, instead of ten minutes this time, I'll give you a half hour since there's more of you. It's not like the cops are coming here!"

At that moment, Widow and Weaver pulled out guns of their own and aimed them at Tarantula and Gertie.

"This ends now, Tarantula!" said Widow in her normal voice.

"NOW, SPIDERS!" commanded Weaver. And the Spiders turned their guns from the Serpents to the actual Lizards who surrendered immediately.

"Don't worry, Mamba," said Widow to Lucy. "I helped Shermy get away. He's safe."

"What about Komodo?" asked Gertie.

"You can say she's taking a nap in the same cage," said Weaver.

"I should have known it was you, Widow!" sneered Tarantula. "I should have killed you back in Gertie's salvage yard!"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to give you that chance, like I didn't give you that chance then," said Widow. "Your reign of terror ends tonight! Spiders, tie up the Lizards!" And the Spiders tied up all of the Lizards. The Serpents walked up to Widow and Weaver.

"So this is what you were up to, Widow," said Cobra.

"Yeah, that's why I haven't been in touch with you, Cobra," said Widow. "I see you hooked up with the original Serpents."

"How have you been, Widow?" said Sidewinder.

"Man it's actually good to see you, Sidewinder," Widow said with a smile.

"Hold the blockhead, Widow!" said Lucy. "I owe her something."

"You got it, Mamba." And Lucy looked at Tarantula, who, despite getting caught, was still wearing that psychotic grin on her face. Lucy, without warning, punched Tarantula square in her face, knocking her to the ground.

"THAT WAS FOR PYTHON!" she screamed. She delivered a kick to the gut. "AND THAT WAS FOR ANACONDA!" Then Lucy spat on Tarantula, who just groaned in pain. "She's all yours, Widow!" And Lucy and the other Serpent Sisters started to leave when they saw the gang heading their way.

"Lucy!" shouted Schroeder.

"Schroeder!" Lucy shouted back. And the two lovebirds embraced. "I'm so glad to see you, baby!"

"I'm glad you're safe, Lucy," said Schroeder.

"Sylvia?" called Dominick.

"Dom!" cried Cobra. And they also hugged and kissed. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming to help," said Dominick, "but I see things are under control now."

"Tee Wee? Andy?" said Rattler, seeing Thibault and Andy coming her way. And her boyfriend and dog hugged her.

"I'm glad nothing happened to you, Holly," said Thibault.

"Sis?" said Linus seeing Lucy.

"What are you doing here, you blockhead?!" said Lucy seeing her brother.

"Coming to save you," said Linus. "But things seemed to be fine now."

"They are, Linus," said Lucy. "They are. Is that Charlie Brown? I thought he, Sally, and Michael were at Frieda's cottage."

"We were, but we heard what happened here," said Charlie Brown.

"But my parents saw we weren't having fun after all the bad news back here," said Frieda. "So we came home. Just today."

"Sorry you guys missed the party," said Lucy. "But we can talk about it at Joe's."

"Wait!" said Charlie Brown. "I thought Joe's was closed due to the fire damage."

"The main building is, Charlie Brown," said Lucy, "but the owner has a food truck in the parking lot so he can still serve food there."

"You know what that means, Snoopy?" said Frieda. "You can eat those Joe Burgers you so love still!" And the beagle cheered. And finally the chaos was over. The Spiders escorted the Lizards presumably to the police station. Widow and Weaver took care of Tarantula and Gertie. The next day would be a day of healing for all of Sparkyville.

**NEXT CHAPTER: AFTERMATH**


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16: THE STORM CLOUDS PART**

_Dear Pencil Pal,_

_ The violence in Sparkyville has finally ended. The Lizard Ladies are no more. The Serpent Sisters, including Lucy, and the Spiders brought the Lizards to the police station tied up. On them was a note stating that they were responsible for the arson attacks on the buildings including Joe's Café and Ace's Ice Cream Shop. Gertie was dropped off at her father's place with a note explaining her part in the original confrontation at his business which resulted in the death of Margaux Holt, as well as her role in Tarantula's escape. From what I understand, her father sent her to stay with her military uncle who suffered no fools. As for Tarantula, the leader of the Lizards, her former boss Black Widow, the leader of the Spiders, and Widow's right-hand girl Orbweaver personally brought her back to the mental facility that she broke out of. The doctor couldn't believe that it was preteens that apprehended a dangerous mental patient. Lucy and the other Serpent Sisters seem to be doing all right. At least this confrontation didn't result in any deaths or anyone getting seriously hurt. The only big casualty was Ace's, but everyone in town had received good news. Ace's would be rebuilt and protected by the city, as would Joe's, even though it suffered the least damage. The movie theater had finally reopened after swift fixing up and cleaning out debris, so kids can go back to watching movies again. Joe's will reopen fully after school has started back up. Shermy is still a little traumatized by the acts of his cousin. He is seeking counseling right now. As for myself, I'm doing okay. Frieda is better since learning that Ace's is getting rebuilt. That place hold a special place in both of our hearts, as it was the sight of our first dance together. Well that's about it. I'll be in touch._

_Your friend,_

_Charlie Brown_

Amanda was at Margaux's grave for the first time. She was about to leave in a few hours to her new town so she could go back to school. But she wanted to pay her respects to her fellow Serpent Sister and repent for the fact that it was her that sent Margaux to her grave. She was surprised when she saw Wendy, her mother, come up. Amanda was, understandably nervous. She hoped that Wendy wouldn't start up on her again and try to do something to her in retaliation. But instead, Wendy placed her hand on Amanda's shoulder and said only a few words.

"I forgive you, Amanda."

A few hours later, Amanda was with her parents going to a new town far away from Sparkyville. On the way out of town when they stopped at the corner, Amanda saw her fellow Serpent Sisters Lucy, Cobra, and Rattler, along with the original Serpents and Black Widow, Orbweaver, and the Spiders. They all waved to Amanda. She shed a tear and waved to her friends. They all smiled. And Amanda and her parents disappeared down the road.

At a press conference at Hennepin County Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Barnes prepared a speech for the press. He began, "Words cannot express how sorry we are about this breach of security and safety. Hilary Wilson was brought back to our facilities and we have placed her in a secured cell. It is obvious that we aren't equipped to deal with a most dangerous individual, so it has been decided that Ms. Wilson will be transferred to a federal facility that can handle dangerous mental patients like her. She will remain at this facility for the rest of her natural life, as it has be determined that she will never be fit to be in society ever. In short, she cannot be rehabilitated. And we had discussed the matter with her parents and they agree with our recommendations. Hilary Wilson will never see the light of day on the outside again."

_**TWO MONTHS LATER…**_

Charlie Brown, Linus, Frieda, Lucy, Schroeder, and Dolores were waiting for the bus to go to school. They were finally starting junior high school, one step from the big leagues for them. And all of the kids were excited because they would finally be joining up with Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Franco, Hans, Franklin, Melanie, and Claudia all at the same school.

"So are you going to try out for the orchestra, Schroeder?" asked Linus.

"I just might, Linus," Schroeder replied. "Show them what real classical music is all about."

"I know my man will do good in there," said Lucy.

"I just wish that summer would have lasted longer," lamented Charlie Brown.

"Me too, sweetie," agreed Frieda. "But alas, the call of learning beckons us again."

"¿Qué?" said a confused Dolores. Everyone laughed. Just then, a familiar girl came walking up.

"I'm just glad I can finally be at the same school as you guys," she said.

"You said it, Joslyn!" said an excited Linus.

"I'm glad you're here, Jos," said Lucy.

"Me too, Lucy," said Joslyn. "Since my family thought that Sparkyville would be a better town for me to be in than Detroit, they figured I be safer here."

"If only she'd been here a couple of months ago," said Schroeder under his breath. He was elbowed by both Charlie Brown and Linus.

"How did Sally react to you not being there to walk her to the bus stop anymore, babe?" asked Frieda.

"The usual Sally Brown drama, of course," lamented Charlie Brown. "Even though I said that she didn't need me to babysit her anymore, she droned on and on about who was going to protect her from the bullies."

"Some things don't change, Charlie Brown," giggled Frieda.

"You're not lying!" And the two of them exchanged kisses as the bus showed up to take them to their new school. And with Joslyn now part of their ranks, things were going to be even crazier than before, but the good kind of crazy.

**THE END (almost)**

**UP NEXT, AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM HPDRUMMERMAN**


	17. An Important Announcement

**AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT**

_ Hey folks! HPDrummerman here. I hope you enjoyed "Summer of Chaos", quite possibly my fastest long-form fanfic I've ever done. I just wanted everyone to know that first of all, the third season of _PEANUTS: The Next Chapter _is in the works. However there are some projects that I have to do BEFORE I start on that. First, I will be over at FanFiction's sister site FictionPress doing an original story called "The Last 48". I will post my next One-Shot called "She Was An Introvert" here as well. But after that, I will be revisiting my _Lucy Van Pelt: A Lost Cause _story arc with the debut of _Lost Cause Diaries _which will serve as a prequel to the events that happened in "A Waste of Time and Space" by David Crap-Writer which _Lost Cause_ is based off of. But I will be away from here for a short while to do "The Last 48", but will check in here still. As soon as I'm done with my original story, I will be back here to do _Lost Cause Diaries_ and later start work on Season 3 of _The Next Chapter._ Until next time, people!_


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